U.S. patent number 6,780,292 [Application Number 10/120,597] was granted by the patent office on 2004-08-24 for electrolytic treatment apparatus having replaceable and interchangeable electrode reactor cartridges therefor.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Raintech International, Inc.. Invention is credited to Greg W. Hermann, David L. Winburn.
United States Patent |
6,780,292 |
Hermann , et al. |
August 24, 2004 |
Electrolytic treatment apparatus having replaceable and
interchangeable electrode reactor cartridges therefor
Abstract
An electrolytic treatment apparatus includes a substantially
hollow tubular outer vessel housing closed at its bottom end and
provided with a liquid inlet and liquid outlet adjacent its bottom
and top ends. A self-contained reactor cartridge unit integrates
the vessel cap, electrodes, electrode supports, any electrode
wiring connections and any liquid dispersion members into a single
removable unit for installation into and removal from the vessel
housing so that, when maintenance is required, complete reactor
cartridges may be exchanged in a matter of seconds, thereby
virtually eliminating downtime of the treatment system for
maintenance and other electrode replacement needs.
Inventors: |
Hermann; Greg W. (LaGrande,
OR), Winburn; David L. (Milton Freewater, OR) |
Assignee: |
Raintech International, Inc.
(LaGrande, OR)
|
Family
ID: |
26818538 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/120,597 |
Filed: |
April 10, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
204/269;
204/278.5; 204/286.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C02F
1/46104 (20130101); C02F 1/46109 (20130101); C02F
2201/4611 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
C02F
1/461 (20060101); C25B 009/00 (); B23H
003/03 () |
Field of
Search: |
;204/271,269,272,278.5,286.1,297.01 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Ryan; Patrick
Assistant Examiner: Parsons; Thomas H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Olson and Olson
Parent Case Text
This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of the
priority filing date of earlier filed U.S. Provisional application
Ser. No. 60/283,070 filed Apr. 11, 2001.
Claims
Having thus described our invention and the manner in which it is
used, we claim:
1. A treatment apparatus for the electrolytic treatment of liquids,
the treatment apparatus comprising: a) a substantially hollow
vessel housing member having a first closed end and an opposite,
releasably closeable, open second end defining a predetermined,
substantially uniform liquid containing vessel interior space
therebetween, b) at least one electrode-mounting reactor cartridge
member configured for installation into and removal from said
substantially hollow vessel interior space as a single unit through
said releasably closeable, open second end, each said at least one
reactor cartridge member comprising: (1) a cartridge base support
member configured to releasably engage said vessel housing for
supporting the cartridge member within the substantially hollow
interior of the vessel housing, said cartridge base support member
being configured as a vessel cap member arranged to engage said
vessel housing member to releasably close said second, open end
thereof for disposition of electrodes of said reactor cartridge
operatively within the interior of the vessel housing member, (2) a
plurality of electrodes formed of a selected material and having a
selected, relatively corresponding configuration, and (3)
electrode-securing support means on said base support member for
securing and supporting said plurality of electrodes in operative,
spaced apart condition entirely separately from and independently
of any electrical connection of any of said plurality of electrodes
to a source of electrical power, (4) whereby each said at least one
reactor cartridge member may selectively and alternately be
installed into and removed from said vessel housing member as a
single, self-contained unit, and c) electrical connector means on
said reactor cartridge base support member for releasably
connecting selected electrodes of the reactor cartridge to a source
of electrical power outside the vessel housing.
2. The treatment apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrical
connector means is further arranged for selectively connecting
selected electrodes to a source of power in different electrode
combinations as desired for different liquid treatment
requirements.
3. The treatment apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vessel housing
member includes liquid inlet means and liquid outlet means for
introducing a flow of liquid into said vessel housing member and
through the interior of the vessel between the spaced apart
plurality of electrodes of a reactor cartridge installed in the
vessel and then out of the vessel housing in a continuous,
regulated flow.
4. The treatment apparatus of claim 3 wherein said electrical
connector means is further arranged for selectively connecting
selected electrodes to a source of power in different electrode
combinations as desired for different liquid treatment
requirements.
5. The treatment apparatus of claim 3 wherein said vessel housing
member fixedly mounts spaced apart first and second non sacrificial
electrodes each connected to a source of power and said removable
reactor cartridge member mounts a plurality of non electrified,
sacrificial electrodes configured, when said reactor cartridge is
installed in said vessel housing member, to conductively intercept
the space between said first and second non sacrificial
electrodes.
6. The treatment apparatus of claim 3 including liquid dispersion
means on the reactor cartridge member for directing and
distributing the flow of liquid through said vessel housing member
for assuring even distribution of liquid flow and liquid flow rate
between spaced apart electrodes of the reactor cartridge
member.
7. The treatment apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least two said
reactor cartridge members are provided for interchangeable and
exchangeable installation into said vessel housing member for
treatment of liquids.
8. The treatment apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least one reactor
cartridge member mounts electrodes formed of a first selected
material and at least one reactor cartridge member mounts
electrodes formed of a second selected material.
9. The treatment apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one reactor
cartridge member mounts electrodes having a first selected
configuration and at least one reactor cartridge member mounts
electrodes having a second selected configuration.
10. A treatment apparatus for the electrolytic treatment of
liquids, the treatment apparatus comprising: a) a substantially
hollow vessel housing member having a first closed end and an
opposite, releasably closeable, open second end defining a
predetermined, substantially uniform liquid containing vessel
interior space therebetween, b) at least one electrode-mounting
reactor cartridge member configured for installation into and
removal from said substantially hollow vessel interior space as a
single unit through said releasably closeable, open second end,
each said at least one reactor cartridge member comprising: (1) a
cartridge base support member configured to releasably engage said
vessel housing for supporting the cartridge member within the
substantially hollow interior of the vessel housing, (2) a
plurality of electrodes formed of a selected material and having a
selected, relatively corresponding configuration, and (3)
electrode-securing support means on said base support member for
securing and supporting said plurality of electrodes in operative,
spaced apart condition entirely separately from and independently
of any electrical connection of any of said plurality of electrodes
to a source of electrical power, (4) whereby each said at least one
reactor cartridge member may selectively and alternately be
installed into and removed from said vessel housing member as a
single, self-contained unit, c) liquid inlet means and liquid
outlet means on said vessel housing member for introducing a flow
of liquid into said vessel housing member and through the interior
of the vessel between the spaced apart plurality of electrodes of a
reactor cartridge installed in the vessel and then out of the
vessel housing in a continuous regulated flow, and d) said vessel
housing member fixedly mounting spaced apart first and second non
sacrificial electrodes each connected to a source of power and said
removable reactor cartridge member mounts a plurality of non
electrified, sacrificial electrodes configured, when said reactor
cartridge is installed in said vessel housing member, to
conductively intercept the space between said first and second non
sacrificial electrodes.
11. A treatment apparatus for the electrolytic treatment of
liquids, the treatment apparatus comprising: a) a substantially
hollow vessel housing member having a first closed end and an
opposite, releasably closeable, open second end defining a
predetermined, substantially uniform liquid containing vessel
interior space therebetween, b) at least two separate,
interchangeable electrode-mounting reactor cartridge members each
configured for installation into and removal from said
substantially hollow vessel interior space as a single unit through
said releasably closeable, open second end, each said at least two
said reactor cartridge members comprising: (1) a cartridge base
support member configured to releasably engage said vessel housing
for supporting the cartridge member within the substantially hollow
interior of the vessel housing, (2) a plurality of electrodes
formed of a selected material and having a selected, relatively
corresponding configuration, and (3) electrode-securing support
means on said base support member for securing and supporting said
plurality of electrodes in operative, spaced apart condition
entirely separately from and independently of any electrical
connection of any of said plurality of electrodes to a source of
electrical power, (4) wherein at least one of said at least two
reactor cartridge members mounts electrodes formed of a first
selected material and at least one of said at least two reactor
cartridge members mounts electrodes formed of a second material
whereby each of said interchangeable reactor cartridge members may
be selectively, interchangeably and exchangeably installed into
said vessel housing member for treatment of liquids, and c) liquid
inlet means and liquid outlet means on said vessel housing member
for introducing a flow of liquid into said vessel housing member
and through the interior of the vessel between the spaced apart
plurality of electrodes of a reactor cartridge installed in the
vessel and then out of the vessel housing in a continuous,
regulated flow.
12. The treatment apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least one
reactor cartridge member mounts electrodes having a first selected
configuration and at least one reactor cartridge member mounts
electrodes having a second selected configuration.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to devices for the electrolytic treatment of
liquids, and more particularly to an electrolytic treatment
apparatus that is arranged to provide for very rapid changes of
electrode assemblies that are provided as complete, self-contained
reactor cartridges, whereby to virtually eliminate maintenance down
time of the treatment apparatus for electrode replacement, cleaning
and other operational requirements.
Numerous electrolytic devices have been developed over the years
for the treatment of liquids. Many of these treatment devices make
use of a plurality of electrodes that are placed within a housing
and connected to a DC power source. As the liquid is passed between
the electrodes, contaminants precipitate and become separable. A
wide variety of electrode geometries and configurations have been
developed, with the idea that one geometry or configuration may
treat or function better with different liquids and contaminants
than others, or would require less power to operate.
Providing and managing clean water is the greatest problem faced by
municipalities, industry and nations. For decades, the industry has
relied primarily on chemicals to treat a number of aqueous
solutions, including water for drinking, raw sewage, and industrial
process fluids. However, increasingly high levels of pollution and
the rapid decline of clean water sources is requiring industries of
all types to seek better, more cost effective ways to improve
treatment and remove a much higher percentage of contaminants.
Chemicals are not only expensive, but they significantly reduce the
amount of water that can be reclaimed and increase the amount of
sludge that must be disposed. Chemicals also limit the percentage
of contaminants than can be removed, making it difficult to meet
present and future treatment requirements and near impossible to
provide water suitable for reuse. Chemicals used for killing
microorganisms within drinking water have also been shown as a
health risk and is becoming less acceptable. Although several other
methods have been developed and are presently being used for
treating liquids, such as distillation, reverse osmosis, and ion
exchange, these technologies either cost too much to operate, will
not treat larger volumes of liquid, will not treat liquids
containing high concentrations of suspended solids, or
significantly reduce the amount of clean liquid that can be
reclaimed.
Recent efforts to find better, more cost effective solutions for
improving treatment requirements have raised considerable interest
in other technologies that do not involve the use of chemicals.
Industries and governments have begun looking into electrolytic
treatment, which has been a long ignored but proven method for
electrochemically precipitating and removing impurities from
liquid. This type of electrolytic treatment typically involves a
reaction housing that contains two or more electrodes spaced
closely to each other and connected to a source of power,
preferably Direct Current (DC). The liquid becomes treated as it is
introduced between the electrodes and is subjected to an electrical
field, causing impurities to precipitate to form a flocculent that
is separable from the liquid using a number of mechanical and non
mechanical methods, including filters, plate clarifiers,
sedimentation, centrifugal separators, and floatation devices with
skimmers.
In addition, the electrical field causes microorganisms to be
killed, and other impurities of cellular nature to rupture,
releasing liquid contained within them and further reducing the
amount of produced sludge that must be handled or disposed. Also
during the treatment process, hydrogen and oxygen gasses become
present, furthering treatment by oxidizing the impurities.
Electrolytic treatment offers a significant advantage over
chemicals and many other methods of treating liquid, as it provides
a much wider spectrum of treatment by precipitating and oxidizing
impurities, destroying organisms, and dewatering sludge, all within
a single pass between two or more electrodes that are connected to
a source of power.
Numerous electrolytic devices have been developed through the years
for the treatment of liquids using a number of different electrodes
and configurations in an effort to provide improved performance.
Among these improvements include distributing liquid more evenly
between the electrodes, reducing electrical power consumption,
preventing gasses and solids from being trapped in the housing,
reducing the size and cost, reducing electrode wear and replacement
time, or providing a method for treating larger liquid volumes.
Despite the many intended improvements, electrolytic devices have
remained practically unheard of and rarely used in the industry.
The reason for this is previous devices do not provide a quick and
practical method for inserting and removing electrodes within the
reaction housing for maintenance. Practical methods for providing
maintenance is essential, as electrodes will often become coated
with contaminants and/or dissolve in the water, requiring them to
be removed from the housing either for cleaning or replacement.
Different methods have been employed in the past to help solve many
problems related to electrodes dissolving and collecting scalings
or coatings, including reversing the polarity of the electrodes or
shorting them to ground. These techniques will help extend the
operational life expectancy of the electrodes; however, this can
never fully replace having to perform maintenance on them.
Some commercial applications will cause the electrodes to coat
within less than one hour, even with the use of polarity reversing.
Methods for automatically cleaning electrodes while they remain in
the housing also have been implemented into some devices using a
combination of pumps, valving, and storage tanks for holding acidic
cleaning solutions. This method has proven to work well; however,
it requires additional space and is too expensive to incorporate
into smaller devices. Despite the various attempts to reduce
maintenance, a certain degree of manual maintenance is unavoidable
and a practical method for providing maintenance is essential.
The problem with devices of the prior art is they employ cumbersome
designs that make maintenance difficult, time consuming, and often
labor-intensive. Several steps must be taken with previous devices
in order to remove any coverings, support structures, and/or
electrical connections before electrodes can be removed from the
reaction housing for maintenance. The same amount of time taken to
remove electrodes from previous devices is required to reinstall
them back in the housing, which soon adds up to costly labor
expenses, not to mention the necessary downtime while maintenance
was being performed. In addition, previous devices consist of a
specific reaction housing designed to function with a particular
geometry of electrode. This prevents them from using other types of
electrodes within the same housing that may be more readily
available, cost less, or might work better with certain liquids.
Additionally, these devices require the operator to source their
own electrode material and fabricate them for replacement, instead
of being able to simply purchase a cartridge containing the
electrodes that could be installed in one easy step into the
housing.
The frequency of electrode replacement due to dissolving in the
liquid will depend on the size and quantity of the electrodes,
duration of operation, and composition of the liquid being treated.
Electrode replacement could be required within hours to weeks
depending on the application. Some liquids contain contaminants
that can coat the electrodes within minutes, preventing proper DC
current transfer between them and requiring the electrodes to be
frequently removed and cleaned. Although acid can be introduced
directly into the housing of some devices to clean the electrodes,
certain applications may not permit this, especially if the device
is being used to treat drinking water.
Aside from electrodes dissolving or being coated with contaminants,
the composition of liquids to be treated may change, requiring
electrodes to be removed from the device and be replaced with
different ones, such as electrodes made from stainless steel or
electrodes made from aluminum as different metals may achieve
better treatment results. These factors place prior art devices at
a critical disadvantage, as they typically employ cumbersome
construction that make electrode replacement difficult,
time-consuming, and often labor-intensive.
Devices of the prior art all require several steps to be taken
before the electrodes can be placed in or removed from the housing.
As an example, U.S. Pat. No. 820,113 uses a plurality of
cylindrical electrodes placed vertically within a closed housing.
However, the fasteners, electrodes, cover, and electrical
connections are all individual components, requiring each of them
to be removed separately from the housing. The same amount of time
taken to remove the electrodes is required to reassemble them back
in the housing, resulting in costly labor expenses, as well as all
the down time while maintenance was being performed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,710, uses a plurality of vertical electrode
plates within a treatment housing. The electrodes are placed within
the housing separate from electrical connections and the cover,
requiring additional steps be performed for the electrodes to be
replaced. This device makes use of a plurality of non-conductive
rods for spacing the electrodes and interconnecting them so they
may be removed together from the housing. While this allows removal
of the electrodes as a unit, the cover and all electrical
connections must first be disassembled individually. Further, the
installation process requires each electrode to be placed within
the housing one at a time, requiring an extensive amount of time
and labor, along with a degree of difficulty as the number and size
of the electrodes are increased to treat larger volumes of liquid.
Then wiring is required, followed by installation of the cover. The
obvious shortcoming of electrolytic treatment devices that make use
of a plurality of electrodes is that they do not allow all of the
electrodes, cover, and electrical wiring to be removed from and
installed into the housing as a single, replaceable component.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In its basic concept this invention provides an electrolytic
treatment apparatus in which a plurality of electrodes, any wiring
connections thereto, electrode supports, and any liquid dispersion
structures are integrated together into a self-contained,
self-supporting reactor cartridge unit arranged for rapid
installation into and removal from a corresponding reaction vessel
as self-contained, exchangeable and interchangeable units.
It is by virtue of the foregoing basic concept that the principal
objective of this invention is achieved; namely, the provision of
an electrolytic treatment apparatus that overcomes the limitations
and disadvantages of electrolytic treatment devices of the prior
art.
Another object of this invention is the provision of an
electrolytic treatment apparatus of the class described which, by
providing exchangeable reactor cartridges, substantially eliminates
downtime of electrolytic treatment systems due to electrode wear,
failure and need for cleaning.
Another object of this invention is the provision of an
electrolytic treatment apparatus of the class described which
completely eliminates the heretofore necessary custom, in-house
fabrication of electrodes and electrode support and wiring
connections required in prior art electrolytic treatment
systems.
Still another object of this invention is the provision of an
electrolytic treatment apparatus of the class described in which
different reactor cartridges may be provided with electrodes of
different material and/or configuration whereby reactor cartridges
may be selected and exchanged as desired or needed in order to
treat different liquids and/or contaminants as may be needed.
A further object of this invention is the provision of an
electrolytic treatment apparatus of the class described which is of
simplified construction for economical manufacture.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present
invention will appear from the following detailed description,
taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of preferred
embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a foreshortened side elevation of a treatment apparatus
embodying features of this invention, the reaction vessel housing
shown in section to expose a cylindrical electrode-supporting
reactor cartridge mounted therein.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing
the underside of the upper liquid dispersion plate of the
cartridge, taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the vessel and reactor cartridge
taken along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a foreshortened side elevation of the cyclindrical
reaction vessel housing of FIG. 1 mounting a flat plate
electrode-supporting reactor cartridge therein.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view through the vessel and reactor cartridge
of FIG. 4 taken along the line 5--5 in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view through the apparatus of FIG. 4 showing
the underside of the reactor cartridge supported therein, taken
along the line 6--6 in FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of the upper end portion of another
embodiment of an integral electrode-mounting reactor cartridge and
vessel cap having an electrical junction arrangement for
selectively powering the electrodes in predetermined patterns as
desired for different treatment applications.
FIG. 8 is an exploded view of another embodiment of a treatment
apparatus in which power is supplied to non-sacrificial electrodes
mounted in the vessel housing and the removable reactor cartridge
mounts a plurality of non-powered, sacrificial flat plate
electrodes.
FIG. 9 is an exploded view of yet another embodiment of a treatment
system generally similar to that of FIG. 8 but provided with a
non-sacrificial center rod electrode and an outer cylinder
electrode in the vessel, the reactor cartridge mounting a plurality
of nested, non-powered sacrificial cylindrical electrodes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1 and 4 illustrate a treatment apparatus embodying features
of this invention which will now be described in connection with a
first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-6. The treatment apparatus
includes a hollow reaction vessel 10 preferably, although not
necessarily, provided in the form of a simple tubular cylinder
having a closed bottom end 12 and an open top end 14 configured for
releasable reception of a vessel-sealing cap member to be described
later.
In the embodiment illustrated, the bottom of the vessel housing 10
is provided with a liquid inlet 16 configured for attachment to a
source of supply of a liquid to be treated, and a liquid outlet 18
is provided in the upper portion of the vessel housing for passage
of treated liquid out of the vessel. As will be understood by those
skilled in the art, liquid is typically pumped through the vessel
in order to select and control the desired flow rate of the liquid
through the vessel as needed to give optimal treatment of the
liquid. Further, in the treatment apparatus of the present
invention it is preferable, although not necessarily required, that
a pump is associated with the outlet end of the vessel in order to
draw liquid through the apparatus rather than push liquid through
from the inlet end of the vessel. This method is preferred because
it tends to provide for a more even distribution of liquid
consistently passing through the vessel.
The treatment apparatus of this invention also includes a reactor
cartridge assembly that in this embodiment integrates a vessel
housing sealing cap member; a plurality of cylindrical electrode
members; all necessary internal electrode support structures and
wiring connections, as well as liquid dispersion members into a
single, self-contained unit that is configured to provide
substantially immediate removal from and installation into the
vessel housing for substantially immediate exchanges with other
reactor cartridges when maintenance or replacement of electrodes is
needed. In this regard, a reactor cartridge base support member
provides means for mounting all of the reactor cartridge components
into a single unit and also provides means for supporting the
reactor cartridge as a unit operatively within the vessel
housing.
In the preferred form of the invention the reactor cartridge base
support means is configured herein as a vessel cap member 20 which
also provides means for releasably engaging, closing and sealing
the open top end of the vessel. This sealing engagement may be
provided in any suitable, conventional manner, such as by threaded
screw cap-type connection, twist-lock interconnection or other
connection arrangement in which the cap member releasably engages
the vessel housing to close the open end of the vessel. As will be
understood, the vessel cap therefore is configured to support the
entire weight of the reactor cartridge. In the embodiment
illustrated, the cap member 20 includes a handle member 22 arranged
to facilitate attachment and removal of the cap from the vessel and
for lifting and carrying the reactor cartridge as will become
clear.
The cap member includes means for mounting and supporting a
plurality of electrode members therefrom, provided in this
embodiment of a reactor cartridge as a longitudinally elongated
electrode support rod member 24 fixedly secured to the cap member
20 for extension from the center of the underside of the cap member
to a point terminating above the bottom wall 12 of the vessel when
the cap is installed on the vessel as seen in FIG. 1. This support
rod member 24 fixedly mounts an upper electrode support bracket 26
formed of electrically non-conductive material and configured to
seat the top edges of a plurality of cylindrical electrode members
28a-d in the spaced apart, nested condition seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.
A substantially identical bottom electrode support bracket 30 is
slidably carried on the support rod member 24 to seat and support
the bottom edge of the electrodes. As is evident, the terminal end
of the support rod 24 in this case is threaded in order to receive
a nut 32 whereby to threadably move the bottom support bracket 30
toward the upper bracket 26 to effectively clamp the electrodes
securely therebetween in properly spaced, stacked condition as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Each electrode support bracket member 26,
30 is configured to provide a substantially sealing engagement with
the inner wall of the vessel housing whereby to prevent liquid flow
between the outer surface of the outer electrode 28d and the inner
wall surface of the vessel housing. Also, the electrode brackets
are further arranged to prevent liquid flow through the inner
confines of the centermost cylindrical electrode 28a. As will be
understood by those skilled in the art, since no electrolytic
action can occur in the innermost section and the outermost
section, liquid must be prevented from passing therethrough else it
will pass through completely untreated.
Preferably, as shown, the reactor cartridge also includes liquid
dispersing means for assuring even distribution of liquid through
the space between adjacent electrodes and for controlling the flow
rate of the liquid through the electrode assemblies. The structures
for the dispersion means may vary in geometry, positioning and
composition depending on the particular electrode configuration and
characteristics of the liquid being treated. In the present
embodiment this liquid dispersion means is provided by upper and
lower dispersion plates 34, 36 respectively, secured in any
suitable manner, such as by clamp nut 32' shown securing plate 36
to the support rod 24, at predetermined points above and below
respective electrode support brackets 26, 34. The bottom dispersion
plate is configured to deflect and direct liquid entering the
vessel 10 through inlet 16 outwardly for even flow therearound and
thence through openings 31 through the lower and upper electrode
brackets 30, 26 and between the adjacent electrodes supported
thereby. The upper dispersion plate 34 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is
configured, as shown, with openings 38 therethrough which limit
flow in order to assure even distribution of the liquid between the
electrodes therebeneath. Preferably the upper dispersion plate is
also configured for substantially sealing engagement with the inner
wall of the vessel housing so as to restrict flow to only the bores
38 through the plate. Therefore, it can be seen that the two
dispersion plates 34, 36 work together as liquid enters the reactor
vessel through the bottom inlet opening and around the outside of
the lower plate 30. The liquid then flows upward evenly between the
spaced apart electrodes and through the openings 38 through the
upper dispersion plate 34. The difference in flow pattern between
the first and second dispersion plates causes the liquid to
disperse evenly between the electrodes.
As illustrated, the reactor cartridge base support means (vessel
cap member 20 in this embodiment) also provides means for the
electrical connection of the electrodes with a source of power
outside the reactor vessel housing. As shown the cap member 20
mounts an electrical connector 40 for connection to a DC power
source. In this embodiment connector 40 is configured to receive a
corresponding plug member 42 of a power cord 44. Electrical wiring
46, 46' (or conductive metallic rods, not shown) extend from the
electrical connector 40 to selected electrodes within the housing.
Any number of electrodes can be connected to the power source to
either increase or decrease power within the reactor, and various
power arrangements can be accommodated as well. For example, the
inner electrode 28a may be connected to a positive lead while the
outermost electrode 28d is connected to negative, leaving
intermediate electrodes unpowered if desired, or respective
electrodes may be alternately positively and negatively charged if
desired, all of which is well understood by those skilled in the
art.
As will also be understood, substantially identical reactor
cartridges may be provided with different such electrical
connection arrangements, thus allowing the operator to simply
select a desired reactor cartridge having the desired electrical
arrangement for a particular treatment application. Similarly, as
will also be understood by those skilled in the art, the reactor
cartridge of this invention may be configured to support more or
less electrodes than the four cylindrical electrodes shown herein,
and also, different reactor cartridges can be provided having
electrodes formed of various different, desired materials. For
example, one reactor cartridge may be provided with aluminum
electrodes and another reactor cartridge provided with steel
electrodes, so that the operator may select and install a reactor
cartridge chosen for optimal performance with various different
liquids and contaminants to be treated.
FIG. 4 further highlights the unique features of the reactor
cartridge arrangement of this invention by showing that the same
vessel housing 10 may just as easily and quickly receive reactor
cartridges utilizing different, alternative electrode
configurations such as the flat plate electrode configuration
illustrated. In this regard, vessel cap member 20' fixedly mounts a
plurality of depending support rod members 24' configured to
receive and mount upper and lower electrode support brackets 26',
30' for clamping support therebetween of a plurality of flat plate
electrodes 48-60, as by support rod clamp nuts 62. As discussed
previously in connection with electrode support brackets 26, 30,
electrode support brackets 26', 30' are also configured for sealing
engagement with the inner cylindrical wall of the vessel housing 10
to prevent the passage of liquid therebetween.
Further, as readily apparent in viewing FIGS. 5 and 6 of the
drawings, since the longitudinal ends of the flat plate electrodes
prevent an open passage to the inner wall of the cylindrical
housing vessel, the space between the electrode members and the
inner wall of the vessel housing between the opposite, upper and
lower electrode support brackets 26', 30' includes an encircling
sleeve 64 of non-electrically conductive material configured to
completely close the open space and restrict liquid flow to the
vertically extending openings between adjacent electrodes 48-60, as
readily apparent in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
In this manner, the reactor cartridge is provided with an exterior
configuration that operatively corresponds to the interior
configuration of the vessel housing wall while also operatively
supporting a plurality of flat plate electrodes together forming a
substantially square cross sectional layout. Wires 46, 46'
interconnect electrical connector 40' on the cap member 20' with
the electrodes 48-60 in any desired power arrangement as previously
discussed in connection with the reactor cartridge of FIG. 1.
Dispersion means (not shown) may if desired be provided to this
embodiment of reactor cartridge as previously discussed and
described in connection with the dispersion members 34, 36 of the
previous reactor cartridge embodiment.
From the foregoing the operation of the present invention should be
readily apparent: Contaminated liquid to be treated is pumped
through the vessel from bottom inlet to upper outlet passing evenly
inbetween the electrified electrodes. Over the course of time, the
electrodes may eventually become in need of cleaning or may have
corroded over time and are in need of replacement, at which time
the liquid pump (not shown) is turned off, the electrical source
power cord 42, 44 is unplugged from electrical connector 40, 40'
and the vessel cap member 20, 20' is released from its connection
to the vessel as by unscrewing, untwisting or unlatching and the
reactor cartridge is simply lifted out of the vessel housing 10. A
replacement reactor cartridge is then selected and slid into the
vessel housing 10, re-secured as by screwing, twisting or latching
the cap member and plugging the power cord 42, 44 back into the
electrical connector 40. The treatment apparatus is then ready to
resume operation in the treatment of liquids. As will be
appreciated, the total downtime of the treatment process is mere
seconds and involves an absolute minimum of labor and
expertise.
At this point the previous reactor cartridge may be cleaned as
needed or be discarded or returned to a cartridge supplier as a
rebuildable "core exchange". As will be apparent to the industry,
the mass manufacture of standardized reactor cartridges, albeit
provided in a number of various "models" having different electrode
characteristics and/or wiring arrangements as discussed, can
provide a far more economical reactor cartridge to the industry
than the costs now involved for each treatment facility to have
custom fabricated their own specialized electrodes along with the
necessary disassembly and reassembly of reaction parts into the
treatment vessels during extensive downtimes for the change out
process. Moreover, the same expedient changeover process of this
invention allows the same treatment apparatus to rapidly
accommodate the treatment of different liquids and contaminants
requiring different electrode characteristics for optimum
performance by simple exchange of reactor cartridge.
FIG. 7 shows the upper end of a reactor cartridge particularly well
suited to smaller treatment applications where electrode weight
isn't such a great factor. In this embodiment, a vessel cap member
66 is configured to directly mount a plurality of electrodes, in
this particular embodiment four cylindrical electrodes 68-74, in
direct engagement. This engagement may be a press fit connection of
the electrodes within preformed slots molded in the base of the cap
member, or the electrodes may be molded into the cap member during
manufacture of the cap member itself. Each electrode includes a
projecting post portion 68'-74' that extends through the body of
the cap member as shown to a point exposed within a seating recess
66' in the top of the cap member. As will be understood from the
discussion of the cap member of the foregoing embodiments, the cap
member 66 is provided for releasable connection to and support on a
vessel housing such has been described hereinbefore.
In this particular embodiment a separate electrical junction block
member 76 also preferably formed of non-electrically conductive
material is configured to be releasably engageable with the cap
member 66 as shown. This junction block member 76 includes an
electric connector member 78 configured to releasably receive the
plug 42 of a DC power cord 44, the electrical connector 78 being
connected to exposed electrical terminals 80 on the junction block
member configured and positioned for contact with the projecting
ends of pre-selected post members 68'-74' when the junction block
member is inserted into the corresponding seating recess 66' formed
in the top of the cap member 66. In this embodiment, terminals 80
are provided to engage the post members 68', 74' to electrify the
innermost and outermost electrodes. A different junction block
member 76, (or a modified member) may include terminals 80 (not
shown) arranged to engage the other electrode posts 70', 72' so
that all electrodes are connected to power if desired.
As will also be apparent, during the molding of the electrical
junction block 76, different wiring arrangements between connector
78 and other terminals (not shown) may be provided whereby
different electrode electrification arrangements can be provided by
selecting different junction block members 76 having desired,
different wiring arrangements as indicated here in broken lines.
Further, the cap member 66 may if desired be provided with a liquid
outlet channel 82 whereby liquid may exit a vessel. From the
foregoing it will be apparent that the reactor cartridge of this
embodiment provides an extremely economical-to manufacture unit
comprising a plurality of electrodes 68-72 integrally molded with a
cap member 66 which results in a "throw away" cartridge element
that can be replaced, even in the smallest treatment systems,
extremely economically. Further, this arrangement completely
isolates the electrical connection to the electrodes from any
contact with the liquid being treated, and therefore from any
damage from such contact.
Finally, FIGS. 8 and 9 schematically illustrate additional
embodiments of this invention wherein, in FIG. 8, a vessel housing
84 is provided with a liquid inlet 86 and a liquid outlet 88 and
mounts on its opposite side walls non-sacrificial electrodes which
are connected to a source of power as indicated. A reactor
cartridge member 94 is arranged to support a plurality of
non-electrified, sacrificial flat plates 96 for disposition between
the powered, non-sacrificial electrodes 90, 92 mounted in the
vessel housing. In this manner, when the sacrificial electrodes
become worn due to dissolving in the liquids during treatment, the
reactor cartridge 94 is simply removed and replaced with a fresh
reactor cartridge.
FIG. 9 schematically illustrates another treatment system, similar
to the embodiment of FIG. 8, but configured for operation with a
reactor cartridge 98 mounting a plurality of cylindrical electrodes
100. In this case the vessel housing 102 mounts a cylindrical outer
non-sacrificial electrode 104 and an inner, non-sacrificial rod
electrode 106. As will be understood liquid passes into the vessel
housing through inlet 108 and through reactor cartridge and out the
liquid outlet 110 disposed at the top of the vessel housing. The
embodiments of FIGS. 8 and 9 are particularly well suited to
smaller treatment applications involving materials that require
frequent electrode changes and typically minimal power
requirements.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that the treatment apparatus
of this invention may be scaled to any size so as to provide a
treatment device for personal carry, residential use or having
commercial and industrial use. The size of the treatment device
will generally be scaled according to the volume of liquid that
needs to be treated, although multiple treatment assemblies as
described hereinbefore can be connected to a common source of
supply to increase overall volume of liquid being treated.
Additionally, it may be desirable that the output of one treatment
assembly may be directed to the inlet end of a second treatment
assembly whereby to enhance treatment or potentially to provide
multiple treatments of the same liquid for different particular
contaminants. As will also be apparent to those skilled in the art
the output of the treatment apparatus of this invention may be
directed to other filtering devices arranged to provide additional
treatment of the liquid as needed or desired.
From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art
that various changes other than those already discussed may be made
in the size, shape, type, number and arrangement of parts described
hereinbefore without departing from the spirit of this invention
and the scope of the appended claims.
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